*Poof* Out of nowhere

The kids are both in a phase right now where they’re literally amazing us every single day.

It’s like they wake up and think… what new thing can I get up to today?

Levi spouts out new words as if he’s always said them.

“Oh, it’s windy!” he said the other day when we got out of the car.

All I could do is look at him and say, “yes, yes it is windy.”

We didn’t teach him that word – at least not in the repeat-after-me-I’ll-name-it-for-you kind of teaching.

He just learned it by picking it up.

A small example, but every day now he says many, many things along these same lines.

Seeing that little brain just explode with information and vocabulary is seriously awesome to me.

Not to mention potty training. By two hours into it he was already telling us when he had to go. And after the first two days he was waking dry from naps. And this morning (day five) he woke dry from overnight.

Hello, we aren’t even training him for overnight yet. We’ve kept him in diapers at night! Obviously he’s training himself. Smart cookie.

And Judah’s the same.

All of a sudden today he just stood up on his own and stayed there for seconds before falling. He didn’t pull himself up on anything, didn’t have assistance, he just stood.

At eight months old (yesterday) he’s seriously freaking me out the way he’s determined to move along. No doubt he’ll be an early walker.

And I guess that’s the thing with milestones. There’s all this developmental work in the background that’s going on that you can’t see… and then one day *poof* – it’s as if their skill emerges out of nowhere.

I wonder how much of that we lose as adults, obsessed with finding the quickest solutions and shortest routes to success. We want to skip straight to the results and rarely give time to work hard and build behind the scenes where no one can see us or where there’s nothing to show for our hard work and investment.

Or maybe that’s just me?

In any case, I’m completely astounded with my ambitious little boys at the moment.

They are so entertaining. And so fun to watch and learn from.

STOP.

 

Q for you: When’s the last time you witnessed a skill emerging from what seemed like thin air? (In an adult or a child.)

 

Love,
A

 

Click Clink Five | Five minutes a day, unedited. 

Rejected, again.

I love my son so much.

The cliche rings true – I’d give anything, do anything for him.

I spend my days considering him, caring for him, providing for him, nurturing him, teaching him. Basically giving him everything I can so that he will know he’s loved and valued and respected and know that life is good.

So days like today, when I go into his room after a nap and he immediately melts into a raging fit becuase I’m not daddy? That’s kind of a kick in teh gut.

Because son, don’t you know how much I love you? How much I give you? How much of my very being is wrapped up in being your parent? Don’t you know I give almost 24/7 of time and energy for you???

It’s tough. Giving so much only to be met with rejection.

And it makes me think of Father God.

How much does he love? Give? Sacrifice? Provide? Teach? Guide? Care? Invest?

Over and over again he gives himself to us.

And yet over and over again he is rejected, or ignored, or simply counted as second priority (or third or fourth or…).

How much of my actions and choices must sadden him? The one who loves me so completely and yet demands nothing in response.

And today I choose to think about him and acknowledge his love for me, of which I’m still learning so much about.

Thanks Levi, for helping me to remember how amazing Jesus is. (And maybe you could htink about being a little nicer toward your mama tomorrow?)

*sigh* Toddlers.

STOP.

 

Q for you: We all know how much it hurts to be rejected. Are you wallowing in rejection right now? Or are you choosing to not let it dictate your life or rob you of your joy?

 

Love,
A

 

Click Clink Five | Five minutes a day, unedited.
Adriel also writes (using spell check!) on motherhood and parenting at The Mommyhood Memos. 

Surrender

I have this problem.

When Judah falls asleep in my arms, I don’t want to put him down.

It’s a problem because I cna’t hold him every time he sleeps.

But seriously? i want to. I so, so want to.

There is something so amazing about holding a sleeping baby.

he relaxes into my arms, he nestles into my chest. His limbs go limp, his body soft.

There is complete peace.

At this active age of learning to roll and sit and scoot and “stand” and “jump”… I enjoy the “babyness” of him surrendered to my hold.

I thought of this a lot last week as I taught our Discipleship Training School students about surrendering to Christ.

I thought of hte pleasure God must take when we relax fully into him. When we trust his embrace. When we lean into his strength. When we allow ourselves to be moved by him.

If you can get past the idea of “surrender” just being held at gunpoint with your hands flung into the air, you realize there’s something so sweet about allowing yourself to be held by Another who is stronger.

And I’m pretty sure Jesus will always hold us, as long as we let him.

STOP.

 

Q for you: Do you find it hard to surrender? And… if that question’s a little too deep or personal for you… when is the last time you got to hold a sweet, sleeping baby?

 

Love,
A

 

Click Clink Five | Five minutes a day, unedited.
Adriel also writes on motherhood and parenting at The Mommyhood Memos. 

Bending the rules, big bird style

How often do you bend the rules a little in order to do something you know is wrong?

Levi got his own computer for christmas this year (a kids one). He LOVES it. It writes emails, blogs, plays music, practices the alphabet, et.c

He also loves our computers.

Yesterday y computer was out on the coffee table. He knows full well that he’s not allowed to touch it without asking.

I could see him inching his way over there. He really wanted to play with the mouse that was attached.

“Levi, don’t touch mama’s computer without asking” I said. “You know the rules sweetie”

afrer a few minutes he went and picked up a small big bird toy that he got in his stocking.

I watched with interest as he took Big Bird’s hand and place BB’s hand on the mouse.

Sneaky, clever little boy.

He wasn’t actually touching the mouse. Technically he wasn’t “wrong”.

But he was.

It made me think about the times that I want to bend the rules a little to suit myself.

Just because isn’t not quite “wrong” doesn’t make it right.

A practical lesson from my toddler and a very small Big Bird.

By the way, do you know how hard it was to not laugh while responding to this one? Good grief.

 

STOP. (with 24 seconds to spare – I’m getting the hang of this!)

 

Q for you: Have you found yourself bending the rules a little to get something you know isn’t quite right? 

 

Love,
A

 

Click Clink Five is a blog by Adriel Booker. | Five minutes a day, unedited. | All rights reserved. | Adriel also writes about motherhood and parenting at The Mommyhood Memos.